Thursday, May 12, 2016

After seeing The Book of Mormon for the 6th time this past week, I was compelled to write a brief commentary because I was reminded just how much I appreciate the quality of the show.The Book of Mormon made a name for itself with its’ biting, profanity-laden examination of the Mormon religion. But what you learn when you peel back the layers is that it’s actually a good old-fashioned piece of musical theater that just happens to be wrapped in filthy packaging.

Stripped of the profanity and potentially offensive subject matter the show is ridiculously well done. The Book of Mormon is well paced, the orchestrations are complex and layered; the set design and scene changes are well thought out; the choreography is energetic and fun (tap dancing!) and the story has a heart of gold. Not to mention that the cast is always second to none. Last week my eyes were literally drawn to Ryan Bondy (Elder Price) – give that guy the Broadway lead! – and every cast I’ve seen handled the music, lyrics and choreography with an ease that belies the degree of difficulty.

So thank you Book of Mormon, for reminding me why I love musical theater.